Vehicle



M. CURRY Nov. 12, 1929.

VEH I CLE s Sheecs-Sheet- 1 Filed Msiy 12, 1926 925 MWecZ %%w%/.

AHDrnea.

M. CURRY VEHICLE I Nov. 12, 1929.

Filed May 12, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet Nov. 12, 1929.

M. CURRY 1,735,601

VEHICLE Fil y .1926 SSheets-Sheet s ai wentoz WW Q n aw wf Mm and froswinging of the body; and, thirdly, V

the leaning back ofthe body through Patented Nov. 12, .1929

iii-ES ajat MAN'FRED CURRY, or reunion, GERMANY, Assienon'roCURRYVLANDSKIFF con- :eolmtt'ron, 0F nEw'YoRK, N.

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK VEHIC E Application filed-May 12,

The invention relates to a vehicle which is propelled through rowingmotions. There are vehicles known which are propelled the legs or themotion of the arms. Vehicles which are propelled through the arms areso-called invalid-chairs and in the main toys known .under the name ofDutchman (childrens toy). Utilization of the human power in propellingthese vehicles is attained in an imperfect measureonly. The mostperfectutilization of thesame can'be observed on rowing-boats. The humanstrength which'is applied to the above-mentioned rowing-boats consistsof three power units: the most powerful force, the strength of the upperthigh; the strength of the abdomlnal muscles produced by-the to thestrength of ,theqarm-muscles exercised through arms. The strength of thelegs can beuti- 'lized by placing the feet against a fixed point humanstrength in this way'is able to propel muoh larger -masses, "orrespectively, to de speed than the vehicles pre- -velop a highervious'ly known and propelled-by human force.

Thetoysmust be excluded here froni the very beginning, because they donot utilize the strength according to-the above-mentioned directionsandbecausethey have not been con'-,

struct'edfto guarantee this utilization of power on an economical basis.Special difficulties were encountered with; the steering becomingquite..sensitiv e on vehicles with steering de- .vicefonthelhind-wheelsi The inventionin drawing-in and stretching-out the.three, four and more wheels. here shows a four'wheel Vehicle whose four1926, Serial No. 108,679, and in Germany January 4; 1926-.

question shows such a steering device in different forms ofconstruction. p p M A further perfection of the rowing vehicle accordingto-the invention in question consists in the fact that an auxiliarymotor may be built-in, fixing of this auxiliary motor being extremelysimple. In this way the driver may startthe motor .by simply pulling thebelt afterhe has been driving quite a way, n

the case of grades, etc., being of great assistance to the work of therower. The invention in question is shown .in the acoompany ing drawingrepresenting some examples of the form of construction: V I. V Fig. 1represents a sideelevation of a row ing vehicle with wheel steering;

Fig.2aplanofFig.l; g Fig. 3 a rowing vehicle having front wheel drive,and hind-wheel steering in side elevation; V 1 u v Fig. ,l aplanof sucha rowing vehicle;

7 Fig. 5a plan of. a rowing vehicle, thatis the arrangement ofthehind-wheel steering; Fig. 6 a detail of the steering device in frontelevation;

Fig. 7 a side elevationof Fig. 6;

8 an arrangement in case an auxiliary motor is built-in;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical section through the machine illustratedin Figs. 3 and 4, showing the same in greater detail;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged top view of this :ma chine; and f Fig. 11 isasectional View taken through the drum and illustrating one form offrecwheel mechanism, 7 p 7 s The. vehicle may be constructed with two,The example wheels are arranged similarto the arrangement on. motor cartrucks. Driving can be effected on the rear axle as well as on thefront-wheels. The front wheels can be .turned for steering for whichpurpose both the guidesteering and the bogie steering may be used; Somany persons may be placed in this vehicle as is desirable, according tothe chosen size and dimensions. The steering device may be operatedeither by the .6 hind-wheel drive and front? 7 driver himself through afoot lever or the like or by a person having no part in the driving, theassistant-driver, as in the case of racing boats. For the personspropelling the vehicle, there are provided seats 1, which can be movedto and fro-on rails 2 (so-called roller-seats). The feet are pressed bythe rider against a suitable foot rest suchas the footingof the cables 7from the drums l4 changing mechanism may be provided in this of thevehicle.- Free Wheel mechanism provided, to the end that the drive10"will levers 3 or the bar 3, and are held thereon, by suitable means,such as a framed. The hands grasp a bar 6 which is movablelongitudinally of the vehicle. The motion ofthe vehicle is effected byreciprocation of the bar 6, there being provided connecting means be-*tween the bar and the driving Wheels. This connecting means includesfree-Wheel mechanism and is arranged to convert the reciprocatingmovement of the bar 6 'into unidirectional rotative movement of thewheels-for the propulsion off the vehicle. 'In'the exemplification shownin Figs. 1 and 2, a pair of cables or Wire ropes 7" extend respectivelyfrom thebar 6 about a pair of sheaves 56 and thenceto a pair of drums 1lupon which they are adapted to be wound. 1 From a drum 58 carried onthe'shaft 9, a chain drive 10 ex-' tends to admin 59 mounted on the rearaxle be operated only in response to the unwind- Speedconnection, ifdesired. Driving can furthermore be effected directly onthe rear axleWithout. intermediate shaft 9, simply accord-- ing tothe arrangement ofthe hull 13. In the drives 8 which are provided with soacalled freewheel reversible mechanism a "spring acts to wind the ropes 7 onthe'driving drum lt'afterthe ropes have run off these drums so that thedriving bar 6 is returned to its original position. F or example, theremay be employed an elastic strand 39" which will 7 7 roll up spirally'onthe shaft9' and be tightened when the tractive means 7 are pulled oil.

In the exemplification shownin Figs. 3, 9 and 10'two bars 6are providedand are connected by means of cables or ropes 60.

' From the forward one of the bars 6,'a belt or strap 7 extends to adrum 14 which'is mount ed on the forward axlell' of the vehicle and isconnected thereto by freeavheelfreversible mechanism. A spring acts towind a belt '7- on the drum 14 after the belt has been unwoundtherefrom. There may be employed in connection with any vehicleconstructed in accordance with the invention any suitabletype offree-wheel mechanism, or any suitable arrangement of the. spring such,for example, as the arrangement shownin the CourtneyPatent No. 348,619,or an arrangement. such as shown in Fig. 11, which illustratesparticularly mechanism suitable for use in connection with the vehicledisclosed in Figs. and 4c and F1gs. 9 and 10. InfF g. 11'

has to be erected, again whichisjea 7 there is shown the hollow drum 14rotatably mounted on the axle 11f but prevented from rotating thereon inone direction by means of an annular ratchet 62, formed on the axleWithin the drum and cooperating pawls 6?) attached' to the drum. Asleeve extends to one side of the. drum about the axle, and there isattached to this sleeve and wound thereon a rope or cable 64 to thefreeend of which a 7 spring 65 is secured, the freeend of the springbeing attached to a portion 66 of the frame of the vehicle.vAlternatively, there may be employed an elastic rope, such asexemplified in connection with the exemplification shown in Fig. 8.

i As heretofore brought out, the'vehi'clemay be constructed to hold oneormore persons, and any number of these-may participate in the driving.In theexemplification shown in- Figs. 1 to 4 and Figs; 9 and 10 the footrests provided for the forward driver are in the nature of footl'evers3; suitable stationary foot rests 8 7 '7 driver. 7 I

The foot levers 3 are arranged-en the footlever shaft 15 independentlyof eachother being provided for the other and pivot on the shaft. InFigs. 1 and'athe levers are exemplified; as provided with 'ments 16,from which ropes 17 lead t'o the,

steering mechanism of the v'ehicler In Figs. 3, 4, 9 and 10 there isexemplified a vehicle wherein the levers "3,which arepivotedintermediate their ends on the shaft ldfare each pivotallyconnected at its lower-ion end with a link 70 extending to one armofacentrally pivoted lever 16" from'eitherf'arm of wh ch there extend ropes7 to the bell crank lever 19 of the steerin'g-me'chanism on' may also bemost position, the upper partof the bodysis' moved backwards andthe'bartis-alsQ-pulled still more backwards, and the bending iof ,the arms willnow allow a; furtherretraction in order to stop it his feetintothe frameand takes hold of the 'i is' the same time. While his body is in itshind;

of the bar 6. It willibe apparent thafti tliese movements maybe madesimultaneously, in;- ;stead of successively;:After-thesethreepossibilities havebeen gone through, th

by pullingagainst the fl t-me,- 4 on the. foot f d v the b l irf turn; 11w il l tflj f ing position through the infiuence 'of'fthe springassociated with the reversible driveflSl' The propuls on of the vehicleis-acconiplished by pulling the tractive element, or elements such asthe ropes 7 or the belt 7 off their respective drums through successiveand long strokes. In case there is no assistant driver a motion of thetip of the foot on the foot lever is sufficient for steering to cause aturning of the front wheels or, the-rear. wheels, as the case may be.The foot levers are provided with segments from which ropes are passingover rollers 18 to the bell crank lever 19 on one lever'arm of which awheel is mounted. Inthe exemplification shown in Figs. 1 and 2, theotherlever arms of the bell crank levers 19 are made in shape of asegment in order that the ropes may get hold in every'position. Toproduce a constrained motion of both wheels the bell crank levers areprovided with. a connecting rod 20 which may be adjustable (see Fig. 2)so that the splay of the wheels canbe changed at any time. 1

The steering device shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7 is described as 'follows. Thefeet of the driver rest on the pedals 21 against which the driverpresses in pulling off the tractive means. One or both pedals may bemounted so as to be turned around a point 22 by turning the foot restingon the pedal. A guiding device consisting of-a slot 23 in the crossconnecting bar 24 and a flat headed screw 25 with nut willassure a safegliding of the up-; per half of the pedal on the cross connecting bar 24avoiding in thisway a lifting off of "the pedal 21. It will be apparentthat in the exemplified arrangement the pedal pivots on an axisperpendicular to the pressure surface of the pedaL- The latter isrigidly connected at a point 26 to arope 27 passing across thelongitudinal axis of thevehicle, the point 26 being any desirabledistance above the lower endof pedal 21. This rope 27 is led over smallwheels 29,, which are connected to the longitudinal beams 28 andprovided with strings, to the steering swivels 80 which are rigidlyconnected to the pivots 31 of the wheels 33 which are effecting thesteering. Incase of shifting the foot resting on the steer ng pedal,this motion will be transmitted through the rope 27 to the steeringswivels and by this to the steer- .ing wheels 33. In a verticaldirection tothe above mentioned steering swivels 30 two moresteeringfswivels 32 are connected with the pivots 31. These steeringswlvels again are connected by means of a bar 34 which on the This endsis mounted on articulated seats.

.device assures a constrained turning of both steering wheels.

' In case the rowing vehicle is loaded more than is usual, the steeringpressure also is increased, and '111' th1s case, if both pedals arepivotally mounted, steering may be effect'ed through the action of bothfeet'simultaneously instead of by the action of one foot only, as hasbeen described before. When such an arrangement is employed, one or theother of the two feet ofthe driver may be taken elf the pedal as thedriver' desires in order to allow one foot to rest if the latter' is notrequired. This kind ofarrangement is especiallysuited to drivers whohave hurt their legs and who according to the degree of u their injurycan work the steering at one time with one leg, at another time with theother." The present disclosure represents a solution of the old'problemof constructing a the rowing vehicle with an auxiliary power iria order to continue the'run when the human force has weakened or somegreater-obstacles must be surmounted. Such an arrangement is exemplifiedin the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 8, wherein the drum 35,which is mounted free wheel-like on the driving shaft 36, is connectedto two driving wheels 37 also constructed with free wheel mechanism."Whenever a tractive means 38 rolled up on the drum 35 in a spiral form,in this example a leather belt, willibe pulled off, the vehicle will bestarted to move.

roll up on the shaft 36 spirally and be tight ened when the tractivemeans 38 are pulled off, will effect the rolling up again of thetractive means through its elastic force. In

been fixed to assist in the driving by human 100 the frame section infront a motor 40 has power or wholly to replace it.

The rotating motion of the motor shaft tachable elastic strand or rope39, which will M may be transmitted to wheel 43,,firmly' con nected tothe'drivingshaft 36 by means of a simple intermediate drive 42.Starting-of the motor is effected by putting on the transmitting means44, a belt, chain or the like, and pulling off the tractive means 88.The vehicl e may be constructed so that when themotor starts, the driveris free to assist the motor in the driving, or he may leave the drivingto the motor alone. In the latter case the driver places the beamconnected to the tractive I means 38 upon the frame 46, where it isheld1n 2. position by noses 47 which position will allow the beam to begrasped ,by the driver most easily any time it is desired. 'At'the sametime the noses 47 prevent the'entire rolling up of the tractive means38.? The necessary hand levers, etc., of the motor may be arranged inany desired way; The motor may be exposed to enough air. for coolingpurposes by taking off the cap of the body' 48. Steering ofthevehicle iseffected through a {(vertical) shifting of'the pedals 49 with the aid.of the legs for which the pedals will;

serve at the same time as counter-boards when pulling. Thetransmissionof-thedeviation of the pedals to the steering wheels by ropes 52isleftected through a tWo armed lever 50 which "is connected to thepedals 49 by means of rods 51. In case the 'inot'or is working alone,the operator nayuse his hands for steering the vehicle'by placing themn-pon the reserv'e steering Wheel 53, provided with a foot extendinginto thece'nter point of the steering lever 50 which is p rovidedrwithuaV holding device. When the motor is propelling the vehicle and thedriver is steering the vehicle by' means ofthe'hand-steeringvvvheel 53',he may' remove" his feet. from the pedals and 7 place them" onthe footrest 54: at the side of the pedals.

, Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of myinvention an d in What. manner the same is to be'performed,

I declare that What I claim is 1.111" a vehicle, including- Wheelsanda vseatthe tractive element will extenddirectly from th'e'rotatable elementto the rider and Willbfi unwound fromtherotatable element, and means forconnecting said rotatable ele- V ment to atleast oI v iot said Wheels,said cohnecting means being arranged to causea rotation of said Wheelslll OIlSfClllQCtlOI l for the propulsion of the vehicle in response tothe unwinding of saidtractive eleinentbut to permit'saidwheel or heelstoyrotate', freely in said" direction during the Winding of saidtraotive element, r V V r; I J 2. In a vehicle,,in'cluding wh'eels, anda frame, thecoinbination of afrotatable element,

' a tractive element attached'to the rotatable V on said rotatableelement, aseat carried by I element and adapted tobe Wound thereon,means tending to Wind saidtractlve element said frame in a positionsubstantially as low as said rotatable element andarranged to vpermitarider resting thereon to ekerta di- =or Wheels in one directionfor'the propulsion rect pull-on said tractive element for unwindthe samefrom the rotatable element and ,rota'tingthe rotatable-element, andmeans 101 Connecting said rotatable elen'ient to at least one of saidWl1eel's, sai d' connecting means he? ing arranged to causea rotation ofsaid wheel ofthe vehicle in response to the unvv inding' of-sa'idtractiveelement but to perm-1t said vvlieel or Wheels to rotate freelyin said dire-o'- .tion during the Winding ofsa id tractive eleinentf: sV,

3. In a vehicle, "ii1c1uding Wheels and a frame, the combination of "arotatable'- element, a tractive element attached to the rotatabl e"element; and" adaptedto be Wound thereon by the action of a spring, aseat mounted 1 on said "frame for lo gitudinal inovementin a horizontalplane substantially as 10W asthe'aX-is of saidrotatable element,

means providing a'ztoot 1 rest for; the rider to" permit the riderto'reciprocate said seat anjd to retract said tr-active elementtoiinwind the same, and means for connecting saId'rot-atable element toone m m'ore of said whee-1s, said connecting=-means being arranged tocause a rotation of said wheeler wheels onefli rection f0r'tl1'epropnlsion ofthe 'vehiel'e in response to the unwinding of said trativeelement and to permit'said Wheel or Wheels to rotate freely insaid'direction'during the Winding of said tractive element,

4. In a vehicle, including Wheels arrays frame, the combination of: adriving shaft, connecting means between said- 'shaft' and a pair of saidheels, said connecting means he eludingfreeheel mechanism, a seatmountedon said frame ,for longitudinal movement 7 in a "planesubstantiallyias low-as said' s haft, a handle 1 adanted t ba rasped bya rider resting on said seat,*a traetive element ex tendiii'gifroinsaidhandle to' said shaft, and means including said freewheel mechanismn said shaft to convert intermittent retractions ofsa'idtractive elementtonnidir'eetiorrl 'al noveme'ntof s'aid wheels for the propulsion frame,forward axle oonnectedt'o a-Pa ir of said Wheels,a drum mounted on saidaxle; a tract veelement attac'hed'to and adapted-to 'bewound on saiddrum, seat-mounted on said frame for '-longi;tudinalg movement, saidseat being positioned to permit a rider riding thereon to unwindthe-'tractive element by pul ing the same in adireetion substantiallytangential to said drum, means providing a foot'rest for-the rider,means includingsaid axle and sai-d drum to convertintermittentretractions of said handle iiito"unidirectional rotative movement ofsaid pair of wheels. '6. In a veliic including Wheels and a'fiamga"forward'axle connected to atleast one of wheels, a drum mountedon'said axle; connect ons between said axle to" cause "a rotatioi ofsaid axle With said drum in one "d rect on and to permit 831d I ,7 um torotate freely upon Said axle in the other direction,

tobe Wound on said drunn nea'n's tending to rotate said dr'unr in saidother direction and I to Wind sa-idtractive' elenie nt thereon, alosgitud nally movable seat carried said framebehmd-Smd: aXle,'jfootrests fora rider resting saidjseatgjsaid parts being arranged to permitsaidiriderito apply to the unwinding of said tractive elinentllpover"derived from a 'IOWI-Hg moton 1nVOlYll'l'gi16g, armiandabdominalfmuscles. I

ls In a "'ehi'cle, iin'c'l'udinig Wheels and a frame, the; combinationoft-4a rotatable elea tractii' eelenient attached to and adapted ment, atractive element attached to the rotatable element and adapted to bewound thereon, a handle attached to the free end of said tractiveelement, means tending to wind said tractive element on said rotatableelement, a seat carried by said frame, said seat and said tractiveelement being so mounted that a rider resting on said seat can unwindrotate freely in said direction during the winding of said tractiveelement.

8. In a vehicle, including wheels and a frame, the combination of aforward axle connecting a pair of said wheels, a drum mounted on saidaxle, means to connect said drum and said axle whereby said drum willrotate said axle therewith in one direction and will rotate freely uponsaid axle in the other direction, a belt attached, to and adapted to bewound on said drum upon rotation of the drum in said other direction,means tending to wind said belt on said drum, a seat mounted on saidframe for movement longitudinally of said vehicle, the relativepositions of said seat and said drum being such as to permit a riderresting on said seat to unwind said belt from said drum by pulling thesame away from said drum in a substantially horizontal direction.

9. Ina vehicle, including wheels and a frame, the combination of arotatable element, a tractive element attached to said rotatable elementthereon, a seat longitudinal movement,'a pair of foot rests each mountedon said frame to serve as a counterboard to permit a rider with his footthereon intermittently to retract said trac tive element, at least oneof said foot rests and adapted tobe wound being pivotally mounted, meansfor imparting movement to at least one of said wheels in response topivotal movement of said one of said foot rests, and means includingsaid rotatable element to convert intermittent retractions of saidtractive element into unidirectional rotation of at least one other ofsaid wheels.

10. In a vehicle, including wheels and a frame, the combination of arotatable element, a tractive element attached to said rotatable elementand adapted to be wound thereon, a seat mounted on said frame forlongitudinal movement, a pair of foot rests each mounted on said frameto serve as a counter-board to permit a rider with his foot thereonintermittently to retract said mounted on said frame for tractiveelement, at least one of said foot rests being mounted for pivotalmovement on an axis perpendicular to the pressure surface thereof, meansfor imparting a steering movement to at least one'ofsaid wheels inresponse to pivotal movement of said one of said foot rests, and meansincluding said rotatable element to convert intermittent retractions ofsaid tractive element into unidirectional rotation of at least one otherof said wheels. p

11. In a vehicle, including wheels and a frame, the combination of aninternal combustion engine, a longitudinally movable seat for a rider, arotatable element, a tractive element attached to the rotatable elementand ing'said seat, said tractive element and said rotatable element, toutilize power derived from movements of the leg, arm and abdomi nalmuscles of the rider in the unwinding of said tractive element, andmeans for connecting said rotatable element and said engine, saidconnecting means being arranged to apply for starting said enginerotative movement of said rotatable element responsive to the unwindingof said tractive element.

adapted to be wound thereon, means includ- 12. In a vehicle adapted tobe propelled v by a rowing axle, a free wheel mechan sm on said axle,

motion of the rider, a forward a seat for the rider, said seat beingmounted for movement in a plane substantially as low as said axle, atractive element extending from said free wheel mechanism and adapted tobe grasped by a rider resting on said seat and to extend directly fromsaid free wheel.

mechanism to said rider,whereby a rowing motion of said rider utilizingthe leg, arm and abdominal muscles will. be applied with out loss ofpower to said free wheel mechanism to rotate said forward axle.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

MANFRED CURRY.

